so i played a game as an emperor in ancient china and this happens


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balancing the realm is truly a delicate thing.

empress hashirama of the senju had been able to maintain it well during her ten year reign, but now the council was itching to see an heir to the throne, and she was running out of options. as an empress, she was gifted consorts-handsomest of men from her vassal lords. she knew they were fighting to be the father to the prince or princess, and that means shattering the balance.

a little trick she learned from her childhood friend could fool them into thinking they slept with the empress while in reality they were merely dreaming. but this couldn't continue for so long. it should be stopped before she was found out.

to make matters worse, hashirama was the only surviving child of the previous emperor. she did have another brother, but without royal blood, hence unable to ascend the throne. the pressure to produce an heir was rising annually with her birthday and her waning fertility. for years she had pretended praying in temples for a child, but this time, she's doing it properly.

she left court matters to her brother, including the hunt for an infamous gang of thieves who could steal without breaking in. many lords tried to catch them, but their leader always escaped, often with the lord's insignia. tobirama could investigate it better, she was sure of it.

"don't forget to send my letter too," hashirama told him before she left the palace. "i'll see you in a fortnight."

there was a lake near the summer palace where she dwelled in her childhood. people said gods often descended at an auspicious time. the best time to ask for the most secret wishes.

on the third night she sneaked out, alone, so nobody could hear her whispered prayers. the river she followed ended at a large, mirror-like lake. stars scattered on its surface, gleaming like pearls from the southern seas. she gazed into the water, collected herself, and prayed.

"heavenly beings, my makers, protectors of the realm," hashirama called, "my throne will need a new master, but i don't want his or her father tip the political balance i've achieved. please send me a man suited to be my partner, someone pleasing to my eyes, someone pleasing to my people. heavenly beings, i-"

her vision darkened, and the empress fell into slumber before she finished her prayer.

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when she stirred awake, hashirama found herself laying in a small hut. on the small table nearby were an opened letter and several metal pins she recognized as royal insignias. night insects buzzed aloud outside, accompanied by rain.

she had been kidnapped, that was true, but she was bothered because her sleep was caused by the same trick the empress used to her consorts. so who-

"pardon my rough welcome, your majesty." a man facing away from her kneeled nearby, feeding wood into the fire. its light illuminated rough outline of his body; tall, quite muscular, with hair longer and messier than hers. "best not having royal guards on my doorstep."

"who..." hashirama pulled herself to sitting position. "who has the audacity to kidnap the ruler of the realm?"

he chuckled. "just think of me saving your majesty from the upcoming downpour."

"you're my subject," she said, ire building up within her. "mine is everything that lies under the heavens. this disobedience-"

"but mine is everything that lies under my roof. so look up, your majesty, and tell me if you see the stars."

hashirama glanced up briefly, knowing she just lost the argument. when her gaze returned below, it landed upon the man's face.

seeing her confused face, he asked, "you don't know me?"

"heaven's above," the empress hissed. "is that you, madara?"

"took you long enough."

"fifteen years is long enough to forget the face of my childhood friend."

"thought my sister described me thoroughly in her letters to you," he said, glancing at the letter. "i heard your prayer. i fit all your criteria."

"...explain."

"i please your subjects." madara's lips were pulled upward slightly. "you have several corrupt lords. i took their treasures and use them to buy food and medicine for the people they neglect. i'm a commoner-"

"a criminal," hashirama cut in, half amused.

"only to those lords. i left their subordinate asleep," he replied quick. "are your consorts unpleasant?"

"they're pleasant to the empress." her shoulders slumped, her body bent forward a little. "not myself. they still see me as a tool to gain power."

"so i've heard."

she never wrote this matter in her letters, only brief mentions. "how...?"

"i have my ways other than your letters." madara draped a blanket over her body. "if the noblest woman of the realm still worries about men in her bedchamber, then..." he trailed off.

"your trick still helps, i'm just worried for a different reason now."

he changed the topic, "are you saying yes to my offer?"

"depends," a playful smile bloomed on her lips, "are you pleasing to my eyes?"

"so you don't mind a criminal," madara teased, pushing his long bangs away from his face, "as long as he's handsome."

"you're the answer of my prayer; a heaven-sent," hashirama replied, reaching to caress his cheek, "who am i to deny a gift from the gods-?"

madara held her hand, grinning. "i didn't say you can touch."

hashirama chuckled, pushing his collar to reveal his chest using her free hand. "you're my subject..."

he caught her wrist, pushed her to the soft pelt and held both hands above her head. his long hair cascaded around them, blocking the light. "you're still under my roof, empress or not, at the mercy of a thief. behave."

the empress let her eyes wandered downwards, to where his knees flanked her thighs, and took a glimpse of the skin behind his dull clothing. "so what are you waiting for, lord thief? will you claim your treasure, or let her return to her gilded chamber?"

"does she really want to return?" madara asked back, lowering his head to her neck to land a kiss on her jugular.

"she does, nnh..." hashirama shifted underneath him, cutting whatever smallest distances left between their bodies. "and she'd like a souvenir-her gift from the heavens..."

"i can arrange that if her majesty is willing to receive it now." madara pushed himself up.

at that, hashirama's laugh burst. "that is her sole purpose in being here, no?" she whispered, untying her clothes. "gift me an heir, madara."

madara took off his own clothes. "as you wish."

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two moon phases after she returned from the summer palace, the empress was declared pregnant. hashirama said the child was sired by none of her consorts, but she never revealed who, not even to her own brother. her consorts were told to return home immediately.

in the following weeks, the empire was swept by news of corrupt lords being arrested under multiple charges. the empress imprisoned them and gave the new royal insignias to worthier people. the band of thief who once frequented the lords' castles was no longer heard, but the empress' brother still hunting them down. on the seventh moon phase, he returned to the palace bringing a man who's said to be the leader of the thieves to be executed before the court.

"keep your eyes down," tobirama shouted. "it's insolent to look at her majesty like that."

madara, while bound, refused to submit that easily. "i'm just wondering if her majesty and her heir are healthy."

"you-!"

"let him be, brother," hashirama said from her throne. "i am healthy. so is our child, madara."

the silence was deafening before tobirama broke it with his roar.

"heaven's above, sister-what?!"


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how come it gets this long tho